OPINION: For how long will Tiger Woods continue to play in pain?

The fact Tiger Woods returned to professional golf after crashing his car and almost losing his life – or right leg – in February last year is a miracle.

He finished 47^th at the Masters in April on his return, but on Saturday withdrew from the PGA Championship after the third round because of too much pain in his leg, which is held together by screws and pins.

One’s now got to wonder if this is it for Woods.

He started the year’s second Major last Thursday with a birdie at his opening hole, giving his fans plenty to cheer. A day earlier he’d said he was much stronger than he was at the Masters, again giving his fans and golf in general hope he could maybe contend.

While he made the halfway cut, the third round proved too much for Woods’ broken body. His third worst round ever in professional golf left him in pain and unable to continue – and at 12-over par. It was his first withdrawal as a professional; the only other time he was unable to complete a tournament was in 1995 at the US Open, as a 19-year-old amateur.

Seeing Woods struggle the way he did over the three rounds he played last week at Southern Hills was hard.

There is no doubt Woods is a fighter and wants to play on for many more years; the senior tour is also just three years away for him. But, having suffered so many back problems over the years and his right leg now also causing him so much pain, one’s got to wonder if he’ll call time on a remarkable career or soldier on.

South Africa’s Shaun Norris played alongside Woods on Saturday.

“To show the amount of guts he has got, to push through it and make the cut is phenomenal,” said Norris.

“He grinds through everything, even the pain. It’s not easy seeing a guy like him have to go through that and struggle like that.”

Indeed. And for how long? How much more can Woods take?

Now ranked 818 in the world, Woods is still the biggest drawcard in the game, but has the time come for him to say no more?